Wednesday, March 26, 2008

distorted personal images

Much has been written about how women in the last several decades have developed highly distorted self-images, images that lead them to engage in destructive behaviors like anorexia and bulemia. But some men suffer from the same types of body image distortions.

My husband, who was overweight for the first ten years of our marriage, became a vegetarian for personal, ethical and religious reasons rather than health reasons about four years ago, and began to slowly lose weight. Then in the last couple of years to return to the activities of his adolescence and youth -- especially distance running. The pounds just slid off of him. He is now quite fit and slim, but continues to have this self image as a "fat tub of goo."

Here's a picture taken today, with him wearing a t-shirt about three sizes too big, and warm-up pants at least one size too big because I can't get him to buy new clothes that fit. Surely any reasonable person would agree that this is a person who is fit not fat!

Sunflower Roots

Remember roots,deep in the moist dark.Nurture what abides,cultivate passion.Reach out to the sun and the rain;Stretch to embrace the fear.Delve deep withinfor the wellsprings of joy.Kindle the creative spark, andDance on the winds again.